, 1887-05-18

derstand the disastrous .d0predatIOnS
which have resulted from the spread OF
cholera through the Southern end OF the
continent. All which follows are extracts
and items obtained from our Valparaiso
colleague, whose valuable paper we regret
has not reached as sooner, owing to the
exceptional reasons already mentioned
A very interesting question relating to
the condition Of this years fruit Was raised
a few days ago, and a recent utterance oil
the new Archbishop has invested the sub
iect with considerable additional interest.
The question, in q broad and popular
sense, is, whether this years fruit Is poi
sOnOus or not? The Archbishop says that
he has observed that none of the fruit in
his orchard, in Santiago, has been attack
ell by birds. Quite q number of persons
have observed the same thing, and as far.
as personal enquiries, we have ascertained
that this years fruit has been SinguIaTly
exempt from the attacks of birds, early
FIGS being the almost sole exception to the
general rule. Has the same thing we won.
der. been observed in any former yearY Has
the same thing we wonder been observed
after unusually dry TinterS-like the last
for instance-Or during seasons OF drought
like the presentfOrexamplc? And iftheS a
occurrence has been observed irr aITy former
year,hasi it conceded with the visitatiOnO fany
epidemic, such, for instance. aS smallpox
An answer to these questions would lbs
full of interest Mt the present. moment, for
it should not be forgotten that science is
still a long way from having said it's last
word respecting cholera. Equally. ilnpOr,
tant would have been IL carefully conduct
ed series Of meteorological observations at
the places visited by cholrrt. Has anybody
Ron iuptA1IoA lnlNt "a rAUOPl nf hl pO OlA frit.AI
and t~hermOmetrical readings at amy OF the
places visited by the epidemicf Is any
body charged with this important aud
interesting duty nova
And yet this is IA very important sub
iect, indeed, i'll connection with the study
of the development and progress OF cIIOlr-
rA. Have the meteorological conditions ut
the country been OF such II nature, fur
instance, as to lie favourable for the trans
mission, development, and spread OF cho-
leraR Have they been Of such u nature as
To callSs the growth, on fruit, OF fungi
favourable to the development of cholera
III human beingsf 1t these fungi do exist
on fruit, is there any affinity between
them and the cholera fungi proper, or arr
thu former after being introduced into tho
human system capable OF being transform
ed into the latter
HI COLbiIGCtlOi u NAANHG CNAOkNCIES N'NA
in support Of the investigation we Adv0-
cate, it will not be out Of place if we refer
briefly to fungus experiments made bY
Hallier. English physicians in India, on
their frSt acQu lintaIco with cholera, nam.
Ell it ''rice disease" and connected with
a diseased condition OF the rice piant. 1t
was this circumstance which induced Hal
lier to make his experiments. He planted
rice under conditions of heat and moisture
as nearly ~ Gould be obtained like those
of Asiatic rice-irllS, and he wateretl these
plants with the stools and vOmita OF
cholera patients. He obtained i'll every
one of his experiments positive results.
Carefully taking out his little rice plants
in All early stage Of their growth, he made
longitudinal sections of them, and found
fungus threads in great numbers pertOra-
ting the epidermiS of the plant i'll SeNe al
places above the junction of the r~ootlets.
The cells, as we'll a. the intercellular Spl,
ces Of the tissue were invaded, and tbs
delicate plasma of the cells WAS .~Sllrivelled
ard c1arsly granular; and by tho aid OF
gIycerine ii multitude of cryptOcoccus cells
were seen, and had the same characters MS
when known UrOcystic grows within cefe-
al plants.
With respect I'd meteorological -cOndi-
tionS, generally, we believe it has been
found that temperature has a marked in
huence ON the developement Of cholera.
rhn valuations of 1000 1919 md 1871 in